Boot and shoe sole finishing machine



(No Model.)

0. R. WELLS 8v B. K. LEWIS.

v BOOT AND SHOE-SOLE FINISHING MAGHINE. No. 275,873. Patented Apr.17,1883.

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Mawm gag M w -g Pm \smu NITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

CHARLES R. IVELLS AND BENJAMIN K. LEWIS, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS.

BOOT AND SHOE SOLE FINISHING MACHINE.

I SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 275,873, dated April17, 1883.

Application filed August 30, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES R. WELLs and BENJAMIN K. LEWIS, both ofLynn, in the county of Essex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Boot and Shoe SoleFinishin g Machines, of which the following, taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings, is a specification.

Our invention relates to boot and shoe sole finishing machines, and hasfor its object to effect, in an expeditious and economical manner, theoperation of imprinting ornamental designs upon the bottom surface ofboot and shoe soles.

The invention consists in the organization of a mechanism for thispurpose, as well as in certain details of construction, to behereinafter more fully set forth and specifically claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 gives a side perspective of ourinvention. Fig. 2 gives a plan view thereof, and Fig. 3 is a verticalcross-section made through dotted line 00 00 in Fig. 1.

The treadle-lever B, having step or foot plate I) and counter-weight a,is pivoted, as shown, to the vertical column A, and enables the workmanto reciprocate vertically the rod D, which is arranged to slide in thecolumn A, its bottomend resting on the lever B, and it is prevented fromturning in its bearings by any ordinary pin or lug, arranged to operatein a suitable slot or groove in the column. Said vertical rod D carrieson its upper end the horizontal rod E, on the forward end of which isarranged the short vertical standard F, which, i

reaching upward, bears with its top end against the fore part of theshoe, thereby operating as a toe-rest for the same. It is arranged toslide on the rod E, and may be adjusted thereon by means of set-screw(I, so as to conform to the size and length of the different shoes.

At the rear end of the rod E is a vertical rod or block, G, which isconnected with the rod E by pin-joint e, the tongue on the rod being setinto a groove in the block in such manner as to allow the block to betipped forward and backward, but to have no lateral movement. Thespringh, which bears one of its ends against the block and its oppositeend against a boss on the rod E, operates to keep the block tippedforward toward the toe-rest F, as represented in Fig. I. Said blockGcarriesa heel-pin,f, the bottom end of which plays loosely in asuitable socket in the block G. The heel-pin itself, being mounted onthe pivoting-pin a, (see Fig. 3,) permits ofa slight rocking movementlaterally, while a flat spring, 122, attached to the end of the heel-pinfand to theinner end of the rod F, tends to keep the heel-pin verticallyerect in the socket. It will now be understood that, for the purpose ofj ackin g the shoe, the block G should be tipped backward, therebycontracting the spring h, and the shoe being placed in position, (byinserting the heel-pinfinto a hole in the last,) the block G is allowedto be tipped forward by operation of the spring h, so as to keep theshoe pressed down upon the toe-rest F. The heel-pinf, being pivoted onits pin a, permits a slight rocking of the shoe laterally, therebyenabling the shoe to better adaptitself to the shape of theimprinting-tool.

The design to be imprinted upon the sole is arranged upon the peripheryof the arch or section of a-disk-wheel, H. I prefer to use the sectionof a wheel, as it enables me to get into the angle formed by union ofthe heel with the shank of the shoe, though for many classes of work thecomplete wheel would be equally useful. The designs may be engraved uponthe wheel directly, or they may be engraved upon suitable pieces ofcurved metal and subsequently attached to the wheel by screws or otherobvious means. upon a suitable shaft, M, so as to permit of slidingmovementthereon,andis then mounted, as shown, in the frame N, which isconnected at its bottom end with the column A in such manner as to berocked back and forth on its connecting-pin. The metal band if connectsthe two sides of the frame, and by coming against the column A, in anobvious manner, prevents the frame from going back beyond the positionrepresented by dotted lines in Fig. 1. The imprint is made on the soleby rolling the disk over the same while the shoe is being pressed upwardby the weighted lever B.

The operation is obvious. If it is desired to Said disk is mounted.

ICO

ornament the sole close up to the breast ofthe heel, (in which case thearc of a disk must be used,) the tool should be started at that pointand rolled outward. In some cases we have found it desirable to ornamentone side of the sole only, or both sides of the shank, near the edgesthereof, leaving the center thereof plain. In such cases the tool may bemoved on its shaft to one side until only one edge thereof hangs abovethe shoe. One side of the shank of the sole may be operated upon withthe tool in that position, and then, if desired, the tool may be movedin like manner to the opposite side of the shoe, and the other side ofthe shank operated upon with the tool in that position. By operating inthis manner we are enabled to obtain a greater variety of ornament, aswell as to operate on one side of the sole only, if desired. In somecases, too, we have found it desirable to cover certain parts "of thesole not intended to be operated upon by means of a shield. Said shieldis composed of very thin metal, having any desired contour or figure,and is arranged directly upon the small rod 3, which itself is supportedby the elbow-rod 4, and this in turn is arranged loosely upon the rod E,as shown in Fig. 1. The rod 4, being arranged loosely upon the rod E,permits of being turned thereon, so as to present the shield from theopposite side of the shoe whenevcroccasion requires. The properheightfor the shield, which should be such as to allow it to bear upon thesole, is obtained by means of the rod 3 and set-screw 5, in an obviousway. A spiral spring, 6, operates to' force backward the supporting-rod4, thereby keep ing the end of the shield pressed up against the breastof the heel. This shield is allowed to press down upon a portion of thesole covered thereby while the imprinting-tool is rolled over the same,the part being in this manner protected from receiving any impression ofthe tool. v

The imprinting-tool is to be rolled over the sole while heated quitehot, so as thereby to better impress its image upon the sole by coloringthe leather at the points of contact. For the purpose of keeping thetool continuously heated while in use, we make use ofa ratchet-wheel, 7,which is mounted loosely upon the shaft M inside of the disk H, and withits periphery in sliding contact therewith. It is provided on its outeredge with a system of ratchet-teeth adapted to engage one end of thepawl 8, the opposite end whereof is pivoted to the frame N, so as toallow the said wheel to be turned in one direction only. From this itwill be understood that as the disk H is turned in one direction tooperate 011 the sole it carries the inner wheel round with itself; butwhen itis reversed in the opposite direction for the purpose of bringingit into position again, the pawl 8 cperates to prevent the inner wheelfrom turning therewith. The inside wheel is being constantly heated atthe top by -means of the lamp 9, and this top or heated portion is beingconstantly brought down to the working part of the outer tool, in themanner described, and heats the same by contact therewith.

We claim- 1. In a machine for the purpose described, the combination ofa wheel mounted on a swinging frame, and with a shoe-holding deviceconsisting of a support, D, adapted to be pressed constantly upward, anda hinged jack, the partsbeing so constructed and arranged that the shoe,while being constantly pressed against the tool, is automaticallyadjusted to correspond to the varying positions of such tool,substantially as described.

2. In a boot and shoe sole finishingmachine, in combination, a jack forholding the shoe, an imprinting-tool. adapted to imprint its image onthe sole when brought in contact therewith under pressure, supportingmechanism for said tool adapted to permit the tool to be placed upon andmoved over'the sole, anda shield composed of a thin piece of metaladapted to lie upon and protect certain parts of the sole from receivingany impressionfrom the tool, substantially as described.

3. In a boot and shoe sole finishing machine, in combination, animprinting-tool adapted to imprint its image on the sole when brought incontact therewith under pressure, supporting mechanism for said tooladapted to permit the tool to be placed upon and moved over the sole,means for heating the tool while inoperation, and a jack for holding theshoe, with means, substantially as described, adapted to permit alateral rocking movementof the shoe, wherebyitautomatically adaptsitself to fit the tool, substantially as described.

' 4. The described imprinting-tool, composed of the disk H, providedwith ornamental figures, arranged thereon as described, combined withthe swinging frame M, and with a vertically-movable jack for holding theshoe, and with means, substantially as described, for pressing the saidjack and shoe constantly up ward against the imprinting-tool,substantially as described.

5. The combination of the disk H, pawl 8, the intermediateratchet-wheel, and means for heatiugthe same, substantially as setforth.

6. In aboot and shoe sole finishing machine of substantially theconstruction described,

in combination with a jack for holding the shoe, the described shieldand means for supporting the same, composed of the rods 3 and 4 andtheir adjustable connections, whereby the shield is held uponthe sole,substantially as described.

7. In ajack for holding shoes, the'block G, pivoted to an arm of theframe and connected to such arm by a spring, h, the heel-pin f, pivotedin the said b1ock, so as to have a movement'at right angles to themovement of such block, and the spring m, attached to wast/a 3' thebottom of .the said heel-pin, all. substan- In testimony whereof we-havesigned this tially as and for the purposes set forth. specification inthe presence of two witnesses. 1o

8. A segmental wheel, H, adapted. to be brought up close to the heel,journaled upon CHARLES R. WELLS. 5 a rocking frame, in combination witha jack, BENJAMIN K. LEWIS.

and mechanism, substantially as described, Witnesses: for verticallymoving the jack at will, all as S. RUTH,

set forth. 0. B.YTUTTLE.

